Harry's Quarantine Summer Holidays
by Healer Pomfrey
Summary: Written on Minerva McGonagall 62's request after participating in the contest on my newsgroup page. Because of Minerva's fault, Harry has to spend the summer after 3rd year at Hogwarts. Will they find a way for him to stay permanently? AU, OOC, sick!MM,HP
1. Chapter 1

**Harry's ****Quarantine Summer Holidays**

_For Minerva McGonagall 62 __on her request after participating in the writing contest on my newsgroup page! Please enjoy!_

_I'm not a native speaker of English. So please excuse my mistakes – or tell me, so that I can correct them!_

_All recognizable characters belong to Mrs. Rowling, and I am not earning anything by writing this story._

**

* * *

Chapter 1**

Minerva sat at her desk grading the first years' end of year tests, so that she could return them to the children before the end of the school year, which of course wasn't necessary, but after more than thirty years of teaching, Minerva knew that her students wanted their tests back before the long summer holidays. None of them were interested in their mistakes at the beginning of the new school year.

Unfortunately, she had difficulties concentrating today. From the time when she had woken up in the morning, she had been suffering from a terrible headache, which had only worsened during the day in spite of the pain relieving potion she had taken before her afternoon classes.

All of a sudden, the clock on the mantelpiece chimed, informing her that it was time to head down to the Great Hall for dinner. '_Maybe I should just skip dinner_,' she mused. '_I'm not hungry anyway_.' However, she knew that Albus, Pomona, and Poppy would haunt her, if she didn't show up at dinner. On one hand, Minerva was glad that her friends cared so much about her, but on the other hand, she found that they were too overprotective of her and often behaved like mother hens, especially when she was sick. Finally, she decided to attend dinner, so that her colleagues wouldn't become suspicious and would leave her in peace.

HP DINNER HP

"Minnie, don't you eat anything tonight?" Madam Pomfrey asked in concern, noticing that the Deputy Headmistress was only playing with the food on her plate.

"Oh sorry Poppy," Minerva sighed. "I ate too many ginger biscuits while I was grading the first years' tests. Some of them made so many stupid mistakes that I had to ask myself why I spent the whole year teaching them. Such a waste of time!" she efficiently changed the topic.

"The first years really seem to be dunderheads. They didn't do well on their Potions tests either," Professor Snape sneered.

HP HEALER POMFREY HP

Thirty minutes later, Minerva was back in her office, sitting in front of the tests. However, she noticed that not only her headache was getting worse by the hour, but that the letters began to blur in front of her eyes. '_Thank God tomorrow is the last day of classes, and I only have to let the third years take their test, the day after tomorrow is the Leaving feast, and then the students will go home, so that we can rest for two months_,' she mused in relief.

All of a sudden, there was a knock at the door and Minerva remembered terrified that Harry, Ron, and Hermione had to serve detention with her tonight because of being out after curfew and stunning Professor Snape when they had met Sirius Black in the Shrieking Shack.

Minerva motioned the three students over into the Transfiguration classroom and made them sit down in the first row, where she handed them the tests she was just grading. "Could you please help me to grade these tests?" she asked them, glad when the Trio immediately set to work. She sat down between Ron and Harry and looked over the corrected tests the students handed her from both sides. An hour later, the tests were graded and Minerva gratefully let the Trio go, thanking them profusely.

"Professor, are you all right?" Hermione asked in concern, realizing that the professor was not her usual self that night, while her friends were just glad to be let out of detention and hurried back to Gryffindor.

"I'm somehow not feeling well tonight, Ms. Granger," Minerva admitted, before she quickly changed the topic. "Are you looking forward to the holidays?"

Hermione sighed. "Well, I look forward to seeing my parents of course, but I'll miss the library, and my friends, and you, and doing magic of course. A few days of holidays just to meet my parents would be enough for me, Professor."

"I'm glad you like Hogwarts so much," Minerva said warmly. "Good night, Ms. Granger."

"Good night, Professor."

Minerva returned to her private quarters and went to bed immediately, only to wake up early in the morning, noticing that not only her head but also her throat had become incredibly sore. She dragged herself out of bed and took a hot shower, hoping in vain to feel better afterwards, before she called Babsy, her personal house elf, who normally spent the school year at Hogwarts with her and only returned to McGonagall Manor when she spent the holidays at her home. She instructed Babsy to bring her a phial of Pepper Up potion but not tell anyone about it.

Feeling slightly better after taking the potion, Minerva dragged herself down to the Great Hall, forcing herself to swallow a few pieces of fruit and a cup of tea with honey that felt soothing to her sore throat. Glad that nobody pulled her in any longer discussion, she left the Head table as early as possible without attracting attention and headed to the Transfiguration classroom, where she sat down at her desk, waiting for the third years to arrive for their theoretical test.

During the practical test in the afternoon, she only talked as much as necessary, and the students were glad that they only had to cast a few spells, before they were released. Hermione was the last to take the exam, and when the teacher dismissed her, she gave her a piercing look, asking, "Professor, you're not feeling any better yet, are you? Shall I ask Madam Pomfrey to come and look after you?"

"No, please don't tell Madam Pomfrey anything," Minerva groaned, before she explained, seeing Hermione's questioning look, "Poppy has been my best friend since our own Sorting, but she is overprotective of me and she'd make a fuss, which I don't need right now. You could do me a huge favour though, if you have a few minutes."

"Of course, Professor," Hermione replied, giving her an expecting look.

Minerva motioned the girl to follow her into her office and handed her all the Gryffindor test parchments except for the third years' test, which she had still to grade. "Could you please take these tests to the Gryffindor common room and hand them to their owners?"

"Of course, Professor," Hermione repeated and left the room, after throwing her Head of House a worried glance.

On Friday morning, Minerva only woke up when breakfast was already finished. Glad that she only had to attend lunch and dinner and to grade the third years' tests, she remained most of the day in bed. Knowing that she would hardly be able to hide her condition from Poppy and Pomona over the Leaving feast, which normally lasted for a few hours, she applied concealment charms on her face in order to look healthy in front of her colleagues, who were becoming suspicious anyway, because she could hardly eat anything. Pondering the matter for a moment, she added another charm to hide her hoarse voice from everyone as well.

"Minerva, try these, they are delicious," Professor Sprout tried to coax her into eating something more than the few bites she had forced down so far, but Minerva shook her head, inwardly wincing at the pain the small movement caused.

"I ate too many biscuits, while I was grading the third years' tests an hour ago," she replied, trying not to meet Poppy's eyes. "Oh, right, I have to go and give the tests back," she remembered, glad to get away for the moment.

However, Madam Pomfrey hadn't forgotten about the topic when she returned, exhausted and glad to be able to sit down again. "Minerva, I'm going to take these biscuits from you. Don't behave like a toddler. You know exactly that you're not supposed to kill your grading stress by eating biscuits, let alone right before dinner."

"Sorry Poppy," Minerva replied in a small voice.

Unfortunately, nothing helped her condition to improve, and on Saturday morning, Minerva could hardly drag herself out of bed. Her whole body was sore, and she felt hot and cold at the same time. She called Babsy, and the small elf brought her a fever reducer and a pain relieving potion, promising not to tell anyone, but admonishing her to go to the hospital wing. Minerva quickly gulped down both potions and dragged herself down to the Great Hall early, hoping to be able to leave breakfast by the time her friends arrived.

Only the Headmaster was having breakfast so early, and Minerva sighed in relief. She slowly sipped a cup of tea, noticing that Dumbledore watched her pour honey in her tea in amusement.

"Minerva, do you really think you can hide the fact that you're ill from me?" he asked gently. "I could even see through your concealment charms last night. I expect you to spend the day in bed, and I'll excuse you from all meals. However, if this doesn't clear up by tomorrow morning, you are to call Poppy and let her check on you. Do you understand me?"

"Yes Albus, thank you," Minerva replied hoarsely, sighing in relief. "I'm going to take the students to Hogsmeade first though."

"All right Minerva," the Headmaster agreed, and Minerva left the room to lie down for a while, before she had to leave for Hogsmeade.

An hour later, she dragged herself out of the castle. The students were just boarding the carriages, and Minerva just pondered if she should ride in a carriage instead of walking, when Hermione waved her over. "Professor, why don't you sit with us?" she asked gently, apparently noticing that Minerva was still unwell.

"Thank you, Ms. Granger," Minerva replied and sat next to Harry, who seemed very subdued. "What's wrong, Potter?" she asked, hating how hoarse she sounded.

"Nothing, I'm fine," Harry replied in a small voice, averting his eyes to the floor.

"His relatives hate and starve him," Ron spoke up on his best friend's behalf in an upset voice. "It's a shame that Dumbledore sends him back there every summer."

"Ronald!" Hermione scolded her friend.

Minerva gently put a hand on Harry's shoulder. "I'm sorry, Mr. Potter. If it becomes unbearable, please send me a letter and explain exactly what's wrong. Then I'll try to help you convince the Headmaster to take you away from there."

"Really?" Harry asked, looking straight into the professor's eyes to confirm that she meant it.

"Yes," Minerva promised, following her students out of the carriages.

HP HEALER POMFREY HP

Twenty minutes later, Minerva, Pomona, and Severus made their way back to the castle after seeing the students off. Noticing that Minerva couldn't keep up with their normal pace, Pomona and Severus exchanged a worried look and stopped walking.

"Minerva, what's wrong? Are you feeling unwell?" Snape asked in a soft, silky voice, while Sprout carefully laid a cold hand on Minerva's forehead, gasping.

"Minerva, you're burning up. Let's take you to Poppy."

"No!" Minerva croaked, horrified. "Albus knows that I'm sick, and he said I could just go back to bed, and only if it didn't improve by tomorrow I had to see Poppy."

Ignoring Snape's snort following this explanation, Sprout steadied her older colleague and led her back to her quarters. She gently helped her into her bedroom and ordered her to lie down. "Minerva, I'd like to take your temperature," she said softly. "Do you have a thermometer?"

"In the drawer in my office," Minerva replied, causing her colleague to throw her a questioning look. "I sometimes use it on my students to see if they really need to see Poppy, because most of them hate it just like I do," she explained, noticing that her voice was beginning to fail.

A minute later, Sprout stuck the thermometer into her mouth, and Minerva felt too ill to fight her colleague. She was so glad to be back in bed, knowing that she didn't have to do anything for a few weeks, that she didn't even care when the Hufflepuff let out a huge gasp and told her, "I'm sorry, Minerva, but you have such a high fever that I have to call Poppy."

"Kay," Minerva mumbled, closing her achy eyes.

She found herself in a half awake state when all of a sudden Poppy's stern voice penetrated her ears. "Minnie, please open your eyes for me. I know that you can do it."

Minerva found that she could open her eyes only a little bit, seeing her friend sit on the edge of her bed. "Sorry Poppy," she croaked.

"Minnie, you're very ill. You have the wizard's measles, and since you obviously neglected it over several days, it has become very bad. I'm sorry, but I have to take you with me to the hospital wing, so that I can constantly monitor you."

Minerva didn't have the energy to protest, not even when her friend put her on a stretcher and made her float next to her. Before they had even left their quarters, she already drifted back to sleep. The next thing she knew was that she was lying in the bed next to Poppy's office in the hospital wing, and that Professors Dumbledore, Snape, Flitwick, and Sprout stood next to her bed, listening to the Mediwitch, who was sitting next to her.

"Minnie, I checked my files and there are only two students, who haven't been immunized against the wizard's measles," Poppy said gravely, "and both of them are Gryffindors. Do you remember when I was so ill at the beginning of the school year three years ago?" Seeing Minerva's eyes blink for a moment, she continued, "That was the only year I didn't take the Muggle born first years to St. Mungo's to get their immunizations, and later on I forgot. Did you teach or come in contact with the Gryffindor third years over the last few days?"

Minerva threw her friend a horrified look. "Of course, I taught them yesterday. Plus, Ms. Granger had detention with me the evening before yesterday, and I rode the carriage to the station with her that morning. But who is the other student?" She fiercely rubbed her forehead, before Poppy gently pried her hands away.

"I can imagine that you have a terrible headache, Minnie, but unfortunately, I can't give you any more potions right now," she explained softly, carefully adjusting a cool cloth to Minerva's forehead.

"The other student is Mr. Potter," Dumbledore informed her in a gentle voice. "Severus, I want you to apparate to King's Cross and speak with the students and their parents or in Harry's case his guardians. Since Poppy told us that the illness is only contagious after the rash appears, they can return home for five days. I've prepared two Portkeys for them, which will take them here at eleven o'clock on Thursday morning. Both of them will have to stay here over the rest of the contagion period of two more weeks, or in case they catch the disease until they are completely recovered, which will take another three weeks. Please tell the parents that we will inform them as soon as we know more."

Snape threw the Headmaster a flabbergasted glare. "Albus, why do I of all people have to go and talk to Potter's relatives? Potter won't believe me anyway. He'll think I'm going to abduct him and use him for Potions ingredients."

"Because Minerva is very ill and on absolute bed rest," Dumbledore replied calmingly.

"Harry will think you're his saving angel," Minerva croaked. "He was very depressed this morning, and Ronald Weasley told me that his relatives starve and neglect him. If I remember correctly, he has already asked Albus to let him stay at Hogwarts over the holidays several times."

Snape sighed. "All right; I'll go and inform them," he replied and headed back to his quarters to brew another batch of Minerva's potion, before he had to leave for King's Cross.

_tbc..._


	2. Chapter 2

**Harry's ****Quarantine Summer Holidays**

_I'm not a native speaker of English. So please excuse my mistakes – or tell me, so that I can correct them!_

_All recognizable characters belong to Mrs. Rowling, and I am not earning anything by writing this story._

**

* * *

Chapter 2**

'_So much about a student free time over the next weeks_,' Snape thought while he strode down to Hogsmeade in order to apparate to London. At exactly six o'clock in the afternoon, the Hogwarts Express entered platform nine and three quarters, where Snape was waiting for it to arrive impatiently. He positioned himself right next to the exit, where he was unfortunate enough to let himself being seen by Molly Weasley, who immediately began to make a fuss about him.

When he finally had the chance to tell Mrs. Weasley the reason for his presence on the platform, she replied, "Oh, the poor dears, although I believe that Harry would prefer the illness to the Dursleys. Well, Severus, I'll tell the Grangers if you want. Then you can concentrate on informing the Dursleys."

Snape gratefully agreed, glad that he only had to speak to one family. It was impossible to miss Potter. Granger, Potter, and the youngest Weasley children came all together to greet the Weasleys, letting themselves being pulled into bear hugs by Molly Weasley. Obviously, nobody noticed him, although he was standing right next to them. Only when Molly instructed Granger to lead them to her parents and Potter to go over to him, everyone let out a huge gasp, noticing the Potions professor.

"Professor," Harry greeted the man politely.

"Mr. Potter, come on, I don't have all day," Snape sneered. "I need to speak with your family."

Together, they left the platform and Harry led Snape over to the spot, where his relatives were already waiting impatiently.

"About time, boy," Mr. Dursley growled, ignoring Snape completely.

"Sorry Uncle Vernon, but my professor has something to speak with you about," Harry said in a small voice.

Before the huge man could reply, Snape told him and Petunia, whom he knew from the time her sister was still alive, the news, noticing that a small smile appeared on Harry's lips in spite of the not too pleasant news.

"Let me tell you something," Dursley roared. "We're keeping up with that good for nothing freak, because the boss of you freaks is making us. However, we're not going to take him in if he could get sick. I know that you don't want the brat either, but you'll have methods at your school to deal with such brats, if you know what I mean. You're the one, who hate him, aren't you? Then he'll be best with you. We won't take him under these conditions. Do with him what you want."

"And you," he turned to Harry, shaking his fist at the boy, "Don't you dare..."

Snape couldn't hear what the man was going to say, because Harry backed up as his uncle approached, and Snape could only barely pull him back to prevent him from falling onto the rails of platform nine.

"Get a grip on yourself, Potter," Snape hissed only for Harry to hear, before he turned back to the Dursleys and sneered, "Mr. Potter is a good student of our school and a powerful wizard. He has very good friends, and several of my colleagues will be pleased to have the boy at the school for a few weeks. You're nothing like your sister, Mrs. Dursley," he spat. "She was the most pleasant woman I ever met. I'm very disappointed how you treat her son."

Before the Dursleys could reply, Snape grabbed Harry's trunk, seeing that the boy still held his owl cage in his hand, got hold of Harry's arm, and apparated them away.

"What was that?" Harry asked in a small voice, glad that Snape held him firmly to prevent him from tumbling to the ground.

"Never heard of apparition, Potter?" the professor sneered.

"No sir. Thank you, sir," Harry replied politely, "for taking me back here."

"I suppose your relatives hate magic?" Snape enquired, throwing Harry a questioning look, while he shrank his trunk to carry it in his robe pocket and began to walk in the direction of the castle.

"They hate me and everything that has to do with magic. Professor, will it be all right for me to stay at Hogwarts though? Professor Dumbledore always told me I had to go back to the Dursleys, because students couldn't remain at Hogwarts over the summer," Harry said in a small voice, slowly raising his eyes to meet those of the teacher.

"Well, Professor Dumbledore told me to call you back, Potter, and if he has a problem with the fact that you're five days early, we will think of something, but I don't think it'll be necessary. Does your uncle always abuse you like he did today?"

"Abuse?" Harry stammered. "But he didn't..."

"He verbally abused you, Potter, by calling you names and worse, which no child should endure," Snape replied vehemently, causing Harry to throw him an astonished look.

"Professor," he said thoughtfully, "This may sound strange, but I wish I'd get the wizard's measles, so that I could stay here at Hogwarts for most of the summer."

The professor smirked. "Well, tell Madam Pomfrey that, so that she lets you visit Professor McGonagall as often as possible. If you don't want to tell her the reason, you can explain that you preferred to get them now instead of during the school year or perhaps during your OWLs. You could also ask Madam Pomfrey to teach you Healing spells if you're interested."

"That's a good idea. I'm very interested to learn as much as possible, while I'm here, and maybe I'll manage to do my homework for the first time," Harry replied pensively, while he opened Hedwig's cage and instructed her to return to the owlery. Only when they reached the gargoyle, he noticed that they were heading to the Headmaster's office.

HP HEALER POMFREY HP

Dumbledore rose from his seat and asked in a stern voice, "Severus, did you not understand my explicit instructions?"

"Potter's so called family told me they didn't want the 'good for nothing freak' back if he might get ill. His uncle nearly managed to force him against an incoming train. I'll share the memory with you and the other Heads of House later on. I'm sorry, Albus, but I couldn't leave him there."

The Headmaster threw Harry a pensive look. "What are we going to do with him though? I intended to assign Harry and Ms. Granger a small apartment right next to the hospital wing, but I don't want Harry to stay alone."

"Couldn't he stay in the hospital wing with Poppy and Minerva?" Snape suggested. "He's likely to get ill anyway, and Minerva would surely enjoy his company."

"He might not get the measles," Dumbledore replied thoughtfully.

Snape let out a snort. "Potter, did you at least have any Muggle vaccinations?"

Harry gave him a frightened look and shook his head. "No, the Dursleys never took me to a doctor."

"Never?" the Headmaster asked incredulously. "Well, I can't imagine that. Maybe you were too young to remember..."

"No," Harry interrupted the old man. "The explicitly told me that I wasn't worth the money, and they only took Dudley for his vaccinations. I remember that."

"It doesn't cost any money to go to the doctor," Snape mumbled, sounding very angry.

"Very well, Severus. I'd prefer if Harry stayed with you, at least overnight. It must be depressing for a child to stay in the hospital wing in spite of not being ill," Dumbledore decided.

"With me?" Snape replied unbelievingly. "Albus, you can't mean that."

"I mean it," the old man replied firmly. "You brought him here, and you'll look after him. I expect you to attend at least dinner in the Great Hall."

The two wizards quietly left the room.

HP HEALER POMFREY HP

"I'm sorry to be such a burden, sir," Harry finally spoke up quietly.

"You're not a burden," Snape said in surprise. "Let me guess, who told you that. Your uncle?"

"Yes sir," Harry whispered.

"Well, I expect you to abide to the rules, and then I'm sure that we won't have problems, Mr. Potter. Do you want to head to my quarters for the night, or shall we pay Madam Pomfrey a visit and ask if she's willing to teach you?"

"Ask Madam Pomfrey please, sir," Harry replied eagerly, and the professor noticed that a huge smile spread over the child's face.

"Mr. Potter, we have to be quiet," Snape said in a low voice, when they entered the hospital wing. "Professor McGonagall is very ill."

"Yes sir," Harry whispered. He looked around, noticing that his Head of House was in the furthest bed. Her face was white like the sheets, only her cheeks were deeply flushed, and dark rings surrounded her eyes.

HP HEALER POMFREY HP

Only now that she was lying in the hospital wing without having to tend to her students or having to fear that her colleagues might discover that she was sick, Minerva realized how ill she felt. Her rash was spreading fast over her whole body that felt sore and unnerving in spite of the ointment Poppy was applying to her skin every few hours, and her fever was still going up, causing her from drifting from one fevered dream into the next.

She had just woken up and was lying there with half open eyes, when she heard the door to the hospital wing being opened and closed. '_I must be delirious_,' she mused, seeing Severus and Harry enter the room together, quietly talking to each other.

Before her colleague and student could reach her, Poppy was at her side again, pointing her wand to her head and clucking disapprovingly.

"Poppy, am I delirious?" Minerva whispered, pointing at the two wizards.

"You mean, because Severus and Harry are there without killing each other?" Madam Pomfrey laughed. "Well, your fever is high enough to be delirious, but in this case it's real."

She turned to the visitors. "Professor McGonagall is still contagious and very ill. She should not have visitors," she said firmly.

"Poppy, Mr. Potter told me that he'd prefer to get the measles now during the holidays than some time in the school year or possibly at an even worse timing like his OWLs or such, and we thought that you possible could teach him some Healing spells while he is here this summer," Snape explained in a soft, silky voice that made Harry throw him a surprised glance.

"Of course," Pomfrey replied in surprise. "I'd be glad to have someone, who could help me in busy times. I can teach you a few simple spells at first, and you can see if you're interested in learning more, Mr. Potter."

"Yes please, Madam Pomfrey," Harry said eagerly.

"Albus told me that he has to stay overnight in my quarters for the time being," Snape threw in. "I suggest that you do your summer assignments in the morning as long as you're able to do school work, and that you have your Healing lessons in the afternoon, provided that's all right with you, Poppy."

Everyone agreed and Harry sighed happily, glad to be back at the school. Seeing that Minerva held a hand out for him, he stepped over to her side and gently took her hot hand in his own small hand. "I'm sorry, Professor, that you're so ill," he said softly.

"I'm sorry, Harry, for possibly getting you sick," Minerva replied hoarsely.

"Don't worry about that, Professor, I'm very happy to be at Hogwarts," Harry replied, smiling.

"All right, Mr. Potter, I believe that it's time for us to leave," Snape told Harry, knowing that his colleague was in dire need of rest.

To Harry's surprise, the teacher continued to behave civically towards him, and he noticed astonished that he enjoyed living in the professor's quarters. Over the next days, he always did his homework in the mornings like Snape had suggested.

"If you get something done, you can show me your work, and I'll correct it for you," the teacher offered, while they were eating breakfast in the first morning.

"Thank you very much, sir," Harry replied and decided to begin with his Transfiguration homework, followed by Potions.

At lunchtime, they ate together in the professor's small kitchen, and afterwards, Harry headed to the hospital wing for his first lesson with Madam Pomfrey. At first, the Mediwitch taught him easy Healing spells. She brought a dummy into the hospital wing, which she placed on a bed and inflicted small cuts to his skin, which she taught Harry to heal. Harry found it very difficult, and after trying to cure the dummy for two hours, he felt exhausted.

"Harry, we're going to have a small break. You can either rest or help me apply the ointment to Professor McGonagall's skin," Pomfrey told him.

"Won't the professor mind?" Harry asked hesitantly.

"No, I already told her that you're going to assist me, because I'm teaching you over the holidays, and she told me that it was a brilliant idea. She loves it when her students are willing to learn all kinds of useful things."

"Can you also teach me spells, which I can use on Professor McGonagall, like for example take her temperature or such?" Harry asked after a few days of healing the dummy's bones.

Pomfrey smirked. "All right, let me try to teach you take her temperature, but let me tell you that it is very difficult. Many of my colleagues, especially the Heads of House, have tried that spell as well as the easiest diagnostic spell in order to help their students without having to call me for every small cold, but unfortunately, none of them succeeded so far. You have to be patient and try over and over again."

"All right," Harry replied and repeated the spell she taught him, pointing his wand to McGonagall's head, glad that she was fast asleep. Nothing happened.

"Well, I'm going to leave you here for a while. Practise the spell, and if you have enough, you can come and call me," Pomfrey smirked.

Harry sat down on the edge of the bed and tried the spell many times. '_I can't understand what's so difficult about it_,' he mused, forcefully whispering the spell another time. All of a sudden, pink numbers emerged from the tip of his wand, displaying, '46.1' (115). He happily hurried into the Mediwitch's office and told her, "I did it. I got a temperature this time."

"Very well, Harry, and how high was it?" Pomfrey enquired, trying to hide a smile at the child's excitement.

"46.1 (115)" Harry replied excitedly, causing the Healer to laugh.

"Thank God that's wrong, otherwise your Head of House would already be dead," she said, smiling, and patiently explained the normal range of body temperature to the boy, who blushed deeply. "Nevertheless, the fact that you got numbers, even if they were incorrect, is a huge improvement."

Only three days and several hundred tries later, Harry managed to get the correct result. As shocked as he was at his professor's high fever, as proud he was at the Mediwitch's praise.

HP HEALER POMFREY HP

On the next day, Hermione arrived. Seeing that Harry and Snape seemed to get along well, the Headmaster decided to leave the child in the Potions Master's care and placed the girl with Professor Sprout, who always stayed in the castle in order to look after her green houses.

While Harry engrossed himself in finishing his summer assignments, practising Healing spells, and looking after his Head of House together with Madam Pomfrey, Hermione spent the days in the library. The two friends only met at dinner in the Great Hall, and whenever the weather allowed it, they spent the evening together, walking around the lake.

"I'm so happy to be here," Harry told his friend.

"I'm glad too," Hermione replied. "Now I have finally time to read as much as I want. I'd love to stay here until the beginning of the new school year."

"So do I," Harry replied sadly, "but the Headmaster will surely send me back to the Dursleys. I hope I'll get the wizard's measles, so that I can stay here longer."

Hermione threw him a shocked glance. "Do you really mean that, Harry? Well, I hope I won't get them. If I was ill, I wouldn't be able to read anyway. Do you feel as if you were going to be ill at all?"

Harry shook his head. "No. I only feel a bit tired, but Madam Pomfrey told me that's because of practising her Healing spells, which are tiring when you're not used to do them. What about you?"

"No Harry, I feel fine," Hermione replied, smiling.

_

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tbc..._


	3. Chapter 3

**Harry's ****Quarantine Summer Holidays**

_I'm not a native speaker of English. So please excuse my mistakes – or tell me, so that I can correct them!_

_All recognizable characters belong to Mrs. Rowling, and I am not earning anything by writing this story._

**

* * *

Chapter 3**

It was only two weeks later, on the last day of the contagion period, that Harry woke up with a terrible headache. Knowing that Snape, Pomfrey, and he had an appointment with Professor Dumbledore right after breakfast, during which Snape and Pomfrey wanted to try to convince the Headmaster to let him stay at Hogwarts over the rest of the holidays, Harry dragged himself out of bed and got ready for breakfast.

"Are you feeling all right?" Snape asked in concern, seeing that Harry only played with his food.

"Do you think there is a chance that Professor Dumbledore will agree to any of your suggestions?" Harry countered the question, sighing as he pushed his plate away.

Snape sighed. "Do you know what a Pensieve is?"

"No," Harry shook his head, wincing at the pain the small movement caused. "Professor, could I perhaps have a headache potion?"

The professor threw Harry a piercing look. "Are you getting ill, Potter?"

"I don't know, sir. So far, only my head hurts." Harry flinched back badly, when he all of a sudden felt a cool hand on his forehead.

"Hmm, a bit warm, but not overly so," Snape said thoughtfully. "Potter, let me quickly take your temperature." He summoned a thermometer, and Harry watched as it flew in his outstretched hand. After a few seconds under Harry's tongue, it flared yellow. "Just a slight temperature so far, but it might get worse." Snape handed Harry a small goblet with a headache potion, and Harry gratefully gulped the cool liquid down, sighing in relief as he felt the effects.

"Thank you sir; that's much better."

"You're welcome, Mr. Potter. Now it's time to head to Professor Dumbledore's office."

HP HEALER POMFREY HP

In the Headmaster's office, Pomfrey and Snape tried to convince Dumbledore that the Dursleys were inadequate guardians for Harry. Snape showed Harry how to put memories into the Pensieve and made him put several memories about their normal family life in, so that they could watch them together.

"I understand that the Dursleys don't like Harry and don't treat him well enough, but the problem is that he needs the blood wards for his safety," Dumbledore stated thoughtfully when they emerged from the Pensieve.

"What exactly are the conditions for these blood wards? The person, on whom they are based, in this case Petunia, has to share Lily's blood?" Snape enquired pensively.

"Exactly," Dumbledore replied.

"So if for example, Harry gave one of us a certain amount of blood, the receiving person would also share Lily's blood to a certain extent," Snape continued, causing Harry to look at the teacher with a mixture of surprise and hope.

"I don't see why that shouldn't work," Pomfrey threw in. "We have to check everyone's blood though in order to determine, whose blood is the most compatible to Harry's, but since nearly all the teachers are willing to take him in, there will surely be someone, whose blood matches Harry's."

"That's an idea I didn't think of so far," Dumbledore admitted thoughtfully. "Harry would you be willing to give someone your blood in order for the receiver to become your guardian?"

"Of course," Harry replied excitedly.

"Very well. Poppy, could you test the blood of all our colleagues, who would be willing to take Harry in and think about how to proceed? I can imagine that you can't take the necessary amount of blood from Harry at once."

"No, that would be too much for him. All right; I'll check everyone's blood including Harry's right away and inform you as soon as I have the result. Severus, I might need your help."

"That's no problem, Poppy; however, I don't know if it matters for the blood check, but Harry is running a slight temperature," Snape replied, giving the Healer a questioning look.

Pomfrey sighed. "We'll see. If he comes down with the measles right now, we might have to repeat the test in a few weeks to be certain. I won't get a certain result from Minerva's blood now anyway, since she still has quite a fever. Are you feeling ill, Harry?"

Harry shook his head. "No, I only had a headache, but Professor Snape gave me a potion, and now I feel fine."

The meeting was adjourned and Madam Pomfrey motioned Severus and Harry to accompany her to the hospital wing for the blood test.

Harry eyed the Mediwitch frightened, when she brought a small phial and told him that she was going to take three drops of blood, but it was over, before he even noticed what she was doing. She took a few drops of blood from Snape and then motioned Harry to lie down on the bed next to Minerva.

"Let me check on you, Harry. I already checked on Hermione this morning, and she's fine so far. I'm going to do a last check on her tomorrow morning, and if it's still negative, she may go home," Poppy explained in her gentle voice that Harry had got to know so well during these two weeks of lessons with the kind woman.

The Healer pointed her wand at Harry's head and sighed, before she cast a diagnostic spell at him. "You're still running a temperature, but my spell doesn't recognize the Wizard's measles so far." She gave him a piercing look, noticing that he was very pale.

"Poppy, I had only a headache at first," Minerva threw in. "My throat only began to hurt a few days later, and that was when I really felt ill."

"Well, we definitely need to keep you here for observation, Harry. Are you feeling well enough to do your schoolwork in Professor Snape's quarters? Or do you want to stay here?"

"I've already finished my summer assignments," Harry replied, smiling. "Professor Snape was going to teach me Potions."

"But I can't teach you when you're not completely well. You can't brew Potions when you're running a fever, Mr. Potter," Snape told him. "I suggest that you read ahead in your new books as long as you feel well enough. Don't worry about going back to the Dursleys; I believe that we'll manage to keep you here. Poppy, call me, if you need help with the blood test. Otherwise, I'll just come back after lunch together with Harry." With that, the professor left the hospital wing, Harry in tow.

Snape motioned Harry to sit on the sofa in the living room, while he occupied himself on the other side of the table with preparations for the next school year. Harry felt very grateful to the professor that he had ordered all his new school books through owl order, so that he could read ahead for the first time since he had started Hogwarts. However, an hour later, he suddenly felt that his headache was back full force and that the words were becoming slightly blurry in front of his eyes.

"Excuse me sir, but I don't feel so well. May I go and lie down for a while?" he asked hesitantly, throwing the Potions Master a questioning look.

Snape eyed him in concern, noticing that his cheeks were deeply flushed and his eyes were becoming glassy. "Lie down just where you are," he replied in a soft voice, stepping around the table to feel the child's forehead. "You're getting a fever," he stated and fetched a blanket to tuck Harry in and the thermometer, which flared orange this time. "I better take you to the hospital wing, before you get even worse."

"I'm sorry, professor," Harry mumbled, shivering.

The professor scooped him up in his arms and stepped into the fireplace, carrying Harry. Five minutes later, Harry found himself in a crisp white bed in the hospital wing right next to his Head of House.

"Yes, you're on bed rest here for the next three weeks," Pomfrey told him after casting a few spells. "At least, that gives us time to decide who's going to be your guardian," she said soothingly, causing Harry to throw her a weak smile.

"Madam Pomfrey?" Harry enquired in a small voice, "Why is Professor McGonagall still so ill, if the measles only last three weeks?"

Poppy sighed and explained gently, "Professor McGonagall is much older than you, and older people need more time to recover from a children's illness. Additionally, she neglected the illness over a few days, which made it much worse than normal. You're very ill though, Harry, and you need to stay in bed all the time."

"I understand," Harry replied, nestling deeper under his covers, before he turned to the side, facing his Head of House, who spoke to him in a soft voice.

"Harry, I'm so sorry for getting you ill."

Harry sighed. "Professor, you don't have to apologize. I'm glad to be here, even if I'm ill. Please believe me it's better than to be healthy at the Dursleys."

Minerva sighed. "Harry, I hope so much that everything works out and you'll get a better guardian soon."

"Thank you so much, Professor. I hope so too," Harry replied, noticing in annoyance that his voice was getting hoarse.

"Try to sleep for a while," McGonagall said softly.

"Kay," Harry mumbled sleepily, only too willing to close his achy eyes.

Later the same afternoon, he woke up to voices near his bed. Madam Pomfrey just said, "The blood samples of Professors Flitwick and Trelawney seem to be the ones that are nearest to Harry's. However, I'll have to test Harry and Minerva again after they are completely recovered.

'_Flitwick and Trelawney_,' Harry groaned inwardly. '_Well, Flitwick is certainly better than the Dursleys, but I don't know him very well_.'

Over the next few days, Harry's condition worsened rapidly. His skin itched, his throat and his head were incredibly sore, and he was delirious from a very high fever, captured in fevered dreams, in which Flitwick and Trelawney were fighting against Vernon Dursley.

_tbc..._


	4. Chapter 4

**Harry's ****Quarantine Summer Holidays**

_I'm not a native speaker of English. So please excuse my mistakes – or tell me, so that I can correct them!_

_All recognizable characters belong to Mrs. Rowling, and I am not earning anything by writing this story._

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* * *

Chapter 4**

A week later, Professor McGonagall's rash was finally gone and her fever broke. However, Madam Pomfrey insisted to keep her in the hospital wing for another week, because she was still very weak and was still running a slight fever. Whenever Poppy allowed her out of bed, Minerva sat down on the edge of Harry's bed, bathing his hot face with a cool cloth and helping the Mediwitch to apply the ointment on his skin every now and then.

"Professor, are you feeling better?" Harry croaked, when he saw the teacher up and about for the first time.

"Yes sweetie, I'm much better. You already spoke with me, but you were too ill to notice, who I was," McGonagall replied softly, while she continued to apply the cream on his foot. "Would you like some water?" she asked gently, putting the ointment back onto his night table.

"Yes please, Professor," Harry whispered.

McGonagall gently helped him to sit up, supporting his back, and held a small glass of water to his lips. "No Harry, you don't want to drown. Only small sips please," she admonished him lightly, when harry greedily tried to gulp down the cool liquid, before she carefully lowered him back onto his pillow.

"Thank you, Professor," Harry mumbled and drifted off to more fevered dreams.

The next time he woke up, realizing his surroundings, McGonagall was just trying to stick a thermometer under his armpit. "I'm sorry, sweetie, Madam Pomfrey is gone for the day and I have to check on you," she apologized, seeing that Harry opened his glassy eyes a little bit.

"Kay," Harry mumbled, glad when she removed the annoying icy cold thing.

"39.7 (103.5); well, that's a slight improvement, but still very high," the professor sighed. "Do you feel any better, Harry?"

"Not so really, Professor. Are the three weeks nearly up?" Harry croaked.

"Three weeks are up in two days, but it took me five weeks, before I was really back to normal. You have to be patient, Harry."

"Professor, what's going to happen with me when I'm back to health?" Harry asked worriedly.

Minerva gave him a fond smile. "Madam Pomfrey still has to check your blood once more when your fever is gone to be really sure, but it looks as if you and I were very distantly related through your father, so that I'm probably the best to receive your blood and take you in, provided that it's acceptable to you."

"Acceptable? That's absolutely brilliant, provided that you'd be willing to do so, Professor," Harry croaked excitedly.

"Of course, Harry, I'll be happy to take you in, and if you agree, I'll even adopt you," McGonagall replied, smiling. "But now, you have to take your potions, sweetie."

HP HEALER POMFREY HP

Only another week later, Harry's rash vanished and his fever came down to a slight temperature. Knowing that Minerva, who had stayed in the hospital wing with Harry over the whole time, wanted to finally return to her quarters, Madam Pomfrey allowed her to take Harry with her, if she kept him in bed for another week.

Professor McGonagall asked the house elves to prepare her guest room for Harry and took the child through the Floo to her quarters. "As you heard Madam Pomfrey, Harry, you're still on bed rest for another week. You can either stay in bed or lie down on the sofa, if you wish to have company. I have a lot of work to do over the next weeks after being stuck in the hospital wing for more than a month."

"Thank you so much, Professor," Harry replied happily. He spent most of the time resting on the sofa, watching his Head of House work at the large table next to him. '_It's like having my own family, just like it was when I lived with Professor Snape_,' he mused, aware of the fact that he couldn't get his hopes up too much yet.

"Madam Pomfrey, will you teach me again like you did before I fell ill?" he hesitantly asked the Mediwitch one evening when she came to check on him like she did every day.

"If you want to learn, I can even make you my apprentice. You can drop one or two subjects, except for the core subjects Transfiguration, Potions, Charms, and Defence, like for example divination, and instead take Healing with me. I haven't had an apprentice for many years, but I'd love to teach you, and I believe that you're very talented, seeing how fast you were able to manage the spells I taught you."

"When can we begin?" Harry asked eagerly.

"As soon as you're completely back to health, which should be in a few days," Pomfrey replied, smiling at the child's excitement.

Three days later, Harry's fever was finally gone, and Pomfrey took another few drops of blood from him. "From tomorrow onwards, you may get up, Harry. However, I still want you to rest whenever you feel tired, which you will, because you're still very week," she added, seeing Harry's unbelieving look. "Tomorrow morning, we'll also have the final result of the blood tests," she added quietly, unobtrusively spelling a sleeping draught into the boy's system.

When Harry woke up in the morning, Professor McGonagall was sitting on the edge of his bed. "Good morning, sweetie, how are you feeling?"

"Fine," Harry replied happily. "May I get up?"

"Yes, you may," McGonagall smiled. "But before you get up, I wanted to speak with you about something. Madam Pomfrey and Professor Snape did the final checks on the blood samples..."

"And?" Harry interrupted her impatiently when she made a small pause, watching him.

Minerva threw him a warm smile. "You and I have the most compatible blood. Do you want me to become your guardian?"

"Yes please, Professor, if you don't mind," Harry replied quickly.

"Then you have to put your signature under this parchment, Harry." McGonagall handed Harry a parchment and a quill, explaining, "After Poppy and Severus did their last checks on your blood last night, Professor Snape went to the Dursleys and made them sign over their guardianship to me. You just have to sign here, and the parchment will send itself to the Ministry."

Harry quickly put his signature on the parchment, watching as it rolled itself up and vanished from the sight.

McGonagall pulled him into a light hug. "I'm very happy, Harry," she smiled.

"Thank you so much, Professor. I'm happier than I ever was before," Harry replied.

"I'm glad to hear that, Harry," Minerva said softly, "and Harry, here at home and over the holidays, you needn't call me 'Professor.' You may call me Minerva.

"Thank you, Minerva." Harry cheerfully returned her smile.

Minerva sighed. "Harry, if you feel well enough, we should go to the hospital wing, so that Poppy can take blood of you and give it to me. She told me that she needs to do that five times, since she can only take a small amount from you at once."

"Of course; let's go," Harry agreed, scrambling out of his bed.

HP HEALER POMFREY HP

Everything went well, and all the teachers worked together putting up blood wards around Hogwarts additionally to the normal strong wards of the castle, and Professor Dumbledore promised Minerva and Harry to put up the same blood wards around McGonagall Manor, so that they could spent some time at Minerva's home too. "Harry, I'm sorry, but since I spent so much time in the hospital wing, I don't have time to go home for a longer time over the rest of this summer, but we can spend a weekend at the Manor if you want," Minerva said softly, causing Harry to throw her a huge smile.

One morning, Harry woke up, seeing his guardian sit on the edge of his bed. "Did I oversleep?" he asked in surprise, because normally he was the first to be up in the morning.

"Good morning, sweetie. No Harry, we're not in a hurry, but it's time to get up. Everyone expects us to have breakfast in the Great Hall this morning. However, before you get up, I wanted to show you something." She handed him an officially looking parchment, and Harry followed Minerva's finger to a bold passage:

'_Confirmation of Adoption_

_Parent: __Minerva McGonagall – Child: Harry Potter-McGonagall_.'

Harry let out a huge gasp, before he let himself sink into his guardian's arms, mumbling, "Thank you, Minerva," before he began to cry happily.

"I'm happy too," Minerva told him, pulling him close. "Now, I believe it's time to get up."

"All right, Minerva," Harry replied obediently, scrambling out of his bed when the professor left the room to give him some privacy.

Half an hour later, Minerva and Harry entered the Great Hall, and Harry stopped dead in his tracks. The large room was beautifully decorated, and huge letters on the wall behind the head table read, "Congratulations, Harry, to your new home, and Happy Birthday!"

A huge cake in form of a Snitch was sitting on the breakfast table, which was surrounded by all the teachers and Harry's Gryffindor classmates, who began to sing the birthday song for him. Harry turned to his guardian as he feverishly tried to keep the tears at the back of his eyes. "Thank you so much, Minerva. Today is the happiest day of my life."

**The End**


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